Patents by Inventor Thomas Michael Ford

Thomas Michael Ford has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9527559
    Abstract: A boat brush tool for cleaning a boat pontoon, the boat brush tool having a generally J-shaped tubular support member with an upper section for manipulating the tool and a lower section carrying a plurality of brush bristles and having a curved shape corresponding to the outer surface of the pontoon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Inventor: Thomas Michael Ford
  • Publication number: 20140216321
    Abstract: A boat brush tool for cleaning a boat pontoon, the boat brush tool having a generally J-shaped tubular support member with an upper section for manipulating the tool and a lower section carrying a plurality of brush bristles and having a curved shape corresponding to the outer surface of the pontoon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Inventor: Thomas Michael Ford
  • Patent number: 8252706
    Abstract: A method for preparing stretchable bonded nonwoven fabrics which involves forming a substantially nonbonded nonwoven web of multiple-component continuous filaments or staple fibers which are capable of developing three-dimensional spiral crimp, activating the spiral crimp by heating substantially nonbonded web under free shrinkage conditions during which the nonwoven remains substantially nonbonded, followed by bonding the crimped nonwoven web using an array of discrete mechanical, chemical, or thermal bonds. Nonwoven fabrics prepared according to the method of the current invention have an improved combination of stretch-recovery properties, textile hand and drape compared to multiple-component nonwoven fabrics known in the art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: INVISTA North America S.àr.l.
    Inventors: Dimitri P. Zafiroglu, Geoffrey D. Hietpas, Debora Flanagan Massouda, Thomas Michael Ford, Patricia A. Ford, legal representative
  • Patent number: 8093161
    Abstract: The invention relates to nonwoven fabrics containing polymeric multiple component fibers which include a core component and a plurality of wing components attached to the core. The polymeric core component has an elasticity that is greater than the elasticity of at least one of the wing polymeric components. The fibers assume a spiral twist configuration in which the plurality of wings substantially spiral about the core. In a preferred embodiment, the nonwoven fabrics have elastic stretch and recovery properties with a textile-like hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: INVISTA North America S.àr.l.
    Inventors: Vishal Bansal, Michael C. Davis, Thomas Michael Ford, Debora Flanagan Massouda, Edgar N. Rudisill, Harry Vaughn Samuelson, Hyunkook Shin, Gregory Paul Weeks
  • Patent number: 7036197
    Abstract: A method for preparing stretchable bonded nonwoven fabrics which involves forming a substantially nonbonded nonwoven web of multiple-component continuous filaments or staple fibers which are capable of developing three-dimensional spiral crimp, activating the spiral crimp by heating substantially nonbonded web under free shrinkage conditions during which the nonwoven remains substantially nonbonded, followed by bonding the crimped nonwoven web using an array of discrete mechanical, chemical, or thermal bonds. Nonwoven fabrics prepared according to the method of the current invention have an improved combination of stretch-recovery properties, textile hand and drape compared to multiple-component nonwoven fabrics known in the art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Invista North America S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Dimitri P. Zafiroglu, Geoffrey David Hietpas, Debora Flanagan Massouda, Thomas Michael Ford
  • Patent number: 7005395
    Abstract: This invention relates to an improved method for preparing stretchable multiple-component bonded composite sheets which involves bonding a fibrous layer of spirally-crimpable multiple-component continuous filaments or staple fibers to one or more non-spirally-crimpable layers using an array of intermittent mechanical, chemical, or thermal bonds, and heating the bonded composite to activate the spiral crimp of the fibers in the spirally-crimpable layer. Multi-layer nonwoven fabrics prepared according to the method of the current invention have an improved combination of strength, aesthetics, stretch-recovery properties, and textile hand and drape compared to multiple-component nonwoven fabrics known in the art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Invista North America S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Dimitri P. Zafiroglu, Geoffrey David Hietpas, Debora Flanagan Massouda, Thomas Michael Ford
  • Publication number: 20040116024
    Abstract: This invention relates to an improved method for preparing stretchable multiple-component bonded composite sheets which involves bonding a fibrous layer of spirally-crimpable multiple-component continuous filaments or staple fibers to one or more non-spirally-crimpable layers using an array of intermittent mechanical, chemical, or thermal bonds, and heating the bonded composite to activate the spiral crimp of the fibers in the spirally-crimpable layer. Multi-layer nonwoven fabrics prepared according to the method of the current invention have an improved combination of strength, aesthetics, stretch-recovery properties, and textile hand and drape compared to multiple-component nonwoven fabrics known in the art.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventors: Dimitri P. Zafiroglu, Geoffrey David Hietpas, Debora Flanagan Massouda, Thomas Michael Ford
  • Publication number: 20030171052
    Abstract: The invention relates to nonwoven fabrics containing polymeric multiple component fibers which include a core component and a plurality of wing components attached to the core. The polymeric core component has an elasticity that is greater than the elasticity of at least one of the wing polymeric components. The fibers assume a spiral twist configuration in which the plurality of wings substantially spiral about the core. In a preferred embodiment, the nonwoven fabrics have elastic stretch and recovery properties with a textile-like hand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Inventors: Vishal Bansal, Michael C. Davis, Thomas Michael Ford, Debora Flanagan Massouda, Edgar N. Rudisill, Harry Vaughn Samuelson, Hyunkook Shin, Gregory Paul Weeks
  • Publication number: 20030124938
    Abstract: A method for preparing stretchable bonded nonwoven fabrics which involves forming a substantially nonbonded nonwoven web of multiple-component continuous filaments or staple fibers which are capable of developing three-dimensional spiral crimp, activating the spiral crimp by heating substantially nonbonded web under free shrinkage conditions during which the nonwoven remains substantially nonbonded, followed by bonding the crimped nonwoven web using an array of discrete mechanical, chemical, or thermal bonds. Nonwoven fabrics prepared according to the method of the current invention have an improved combination of stretch-recovery properties, textile hand and drape compared to multiple-component nonwoven fabrics known in the art.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Inventors: Dimitri P. Zafiroglu, Geoffrey David Hietpas, Debora Flanagan Massouda, Thomas Michael Ford
  • Patent number: 6489386
    Abstract: A polymer composition and method for reducing the permeability of gases through molded polymeric containers and films by incorporating into the polymer from which the container or film is formed an effective amount of a barrier-enhancing additive, such as monoesters of hydroxybenzoic acid and hydroxynaphthoic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Irene Greenwald Plotzker, Thomas Michael Ford, Kenneth George Sharp, Samuel Tacitus D'Arcangelis